Add-on multiple glazing with hygroscopic material

Abstract

An additional pane is added to an existing glazing installation to provide an insulating, sealed airspace therebetween.

We claim: 
     
       1. An architectural glazing unit for converting installed glazing to multiple glazing, comprising: no more than one transparent pane;   an elongated spacer element adjoining marginal portions of a first major surface of said pane around the perimeter of said pane, each longitudinal portion of said spacer element having a first surface and a second surface on opposite sides thereof, wherein said first surface faces said marginal portions of said pane in adjoining relationship thereto, and said second surface faces outwardly, away from said marginal portions of said pane;   a ribbon of essentially moisture vapor impervious material extending around the perimeter of the unit adhered to said second surface of said spacer element and overlying peripheral edge surface portions of said pane; and   moisture-resistant sealant interposed between said ribbon and edge surface portions of said pane so as to provide adhesion and a hermetic seal therebetween.   
     
     
       2. The glazing unit of claim 1 wherein said spacer element is comprised of a flexible, moisture vapor transmittable, polymeric material. 
     
     
       3. The glazing unit of claim 2 wherein a quantity of desiccant is included within said spacer element. 
     
     
       4. The glazing unit of claim 2 wherein said ribbon is comprised of flexible metallic material. 
     
     
       5. The glazing unit of claim 2 wherein said ribbon is adhered to and sealed to peripheral edge surface portions of said pane and to marginal portions of a second major surface to said pane. 
     
     
       6. The glazing unit of claim 2 wherein said sealant is comprised of a polymeric composition having a moisture vapor transmittance of less than about 15 grams of water per 24 hours per square meter for 1 mil thickness. 
     
     
       7. The glazing unit of claim 2 wherein said first surface of said spacer element is in direct, non-adhering contact with said marginal portions of said first major surface of said pane. 
     
     
       8. The glazing unit of claim 1 wherein said spacer element includes a rigid structure formed from essentially moisture vapor impervious material. 
     
     
       9. The glazing unit of claim 8 wherein said spacer element contains a quantity of desiccant. 
     
     
       10. The glazing unit of claim 8 wherein said ribbon is comprised of flexible material and is essentially moisture vapor impervious. 
     
     
       11. The glazing unit of claim 8 wherein said moisture resistant ribbon is adhered to and sealed to peripheral edge surface portions of said pane and to marginal portions of a second major surface of said pane. 
     
     
       12. The glazing unit of claim 8 wherein said sealant is comprised of a polymeric composition having a moisture vapor transmittance of less than about 15 grams of water per 24 hours per square meter for one mil thickness. 
     
     
       13. The glazing unit of claim 8 wherein said first surface of said spacer element is adhered to said marginal portions of said first major surface of said pane by means of a layer of adhesive interposed therebetween. 
     
     
       14. The glazing unit of claim 8 wherein said spacer element is comprised of a plurality of separate segments, each segment being affixed along one margin of said pane. 
     
     
       15. An architectural glazing unit for converting installed glazing to multiple glazing, comprising: no more than one transparent pane;   an elongated, rigid spacer element formed from essentially moisture vapor impervious material adjoining marginal portions of a first major surface of said pane around the perimeter of said pane, each longitudinal portion of said spacer element having a first surface and a second surface, wherein said first surface faces said marginal portions of said pane in adjoining relationship thereto, and said second surface faces peripherally outward, away from the central region of said first major surface;   a ribbon of essentially moisture vapor impervious material extending around the perimeter of the unit, overlying said second surface of said spacer element and peripheral edge surface portions of said pane; and   moisture-resistant sealant interposed between said ribbon and said second surface of said spacer element and edge surface portions of said pane so as to provide a resilient structural bond and a hermetic seal therebetween.   
     
     
       16. The glazing unit of claim 15 wherein an additionally extended width of said ribbon is adhered to and sealed to marginal portions of a second major surface of said pane. 
     
     
       17. The glazing unit of claim 16 wherein said ribbon is comprised of flexible metallic material, and said sealant is a polymeric composition having a moisture vapor transmittance of less than 15 grams per 24 hours per square meter for one mil thickness. 
     
     
       18. The glazing unit of claim 17 wherein said spacer element is formed from metal and contains a quantity of desiccant. 
     
     
       19. The glazing unit of claim 17 wherein said first surface of said spacer element is adhered to said marginal portions of said first major surface of said pane by means of a layer of adhesive interposed therebetween. 
     
     
       20. An architectural glazing unit for converting installed glazing to multiple glazing, comprising: no more than one transparent pane;   a spacer element adjoining marginal portions of a major surface of said pane around the perimeter of said pane and spaced from the peripheral edges of said pane; and   a body of at least partially uncured polymeric sealant adhered to said major surface between said spacer element and the peripheral edges of said pane around the perimeter of said pane, said sealant having a dimension normal to said major surface greater than that of said spacer element, said sealant having a moisture vapor transmittance of less than about 15 grams of water per 24 hours per square meter for one mil thickness and which, at room temperature, is coherent and tacky but flowable under pressure.   
     
     
       21. The glazing unit of claim 20 wherein said spacer element is comprised of a flexible moisture vapor transmittable, polymeric material. 
     
     
       22. The glazing unit of claim 20 wherein said spacer element is rigid and is formed from metal. 
     
     
       23. An architectural glazing unit for converting installed glazing to multiple glazing, comprising: a multiple glazed unit having a plurality of transparent panes with an enclosed airspace therebetween;   an elongated spacer element adjoining marginal portions of a major surface of said glazing unit outside said airspace around the perimeter of said multiple glazed unit, each longitudinal portion of said spacer element having a first surface and a second surface on opposite sides thereof, wherein said first surface faces said marginal portions of said major surface in adjoining relationship thereto, and said second surface faces outwardly, away from said marginal portions of said major surface;   a ribbon of essentially moisture vapor impervious material extending around the perimeter of said glazing unit adhered to said second surface of said spacer element and overlying peripheral edge surface portions of said glazing unit; and   moisture-resistant sealant interposed between said ribbon and edge surface portions of said glazing unit so as to provide adhesion and a hermetic seal therebetween.   
     
     
       24. An architectural glazing unit for converting installed glazing to multiple glazing, comprising: a multiple glazed unit having a plurality of transparent panes with an enclosed airspace therebetween;   an elongated, rigid spacer element formed from essentially moisture vapor impervious material adjoining marginal portions of a first major surface of said glazing unit outside said airspace around the perimeter of said multiple glazed unit, each longitudinal portion of said spacer element having a first surface and a second surface, wherein said first surface faces said marginal portions of said multiple glazed unit in adjoining relationship thereto, and said second surface faces peripherally outward away from the central region of said major surface;   a ribbon of essentially moisture vapor impervious material extending around the perimeter of the multiple glazed unit, overlying said second surface of said spacer element and peripheral edge surface portions of said multiple glazed unit; and   moisture-resistant sealant interposed between said ribbon and said second surface of said spacer element and edge surface portions of said multiple glazed unit so as to provide adhesion and a hermetic seal therebetween.   
     
     
       25. An architectural glazing unit for converting installed glazing to multiple glazing comprising: a multiple glazed unit having a plurality of transparent panes with an enclosed airspace therebetween;   a spacer element adjoining marginal portions of a major surface of said multiple glazed unit outside said airspace around the perimeter of said multiple glazed unit and spaced from the peripheral edges of said multiple glazed unit; and   a body of at least partially uncured polymeric sealant adhered to said major surface between said spacer element and the peripheral edges of said multiple glazed unit around the perimeter of said multiple glazed unit, said sealant having a dimension normal to said major surface greater than that of said spacer element, said sealant having a dimension normal to said major surface greater than than of said spacer element, said sealant having a moisture vapor transmittance of less than about 15 grams of water per 24 hours per square meter for one mil thickness and which, at room temperature, is coherent and tacky but flowable under pressure.   
     
     
       26. A multiple glazed installation comprising: a building wall having an opening defined by a frame member;   an installed transparent pane having its peripheral edges retained in said frame member;   an added transparent pane overlying said installed pane within the outline of said frame member, in generally parallel, spaced relation to said installed pane;   an elongated spacer element disposed between opposing major surfaces of said panes, adjoining marginal portions of the opposed major surface of said added pane around the perimeter of said added pane so as to define an enclosed space between said panes, each longitudinal portion of said spacer element having a first surface facing sad added pane and a second surface facing said installed pane;   a ribbon of essentially moisture vapor impervious material having a portion of its width adhered to said second surface of said spacer element and another portion of its width sealed to edge surface portions of said added pane around the perimeter of said added pane; and   a layer of sealant interposed between said installed pane and the portion of said ribbon which is adhered to said second surface of said spacer element, forming a resilient structural bond and a hermetic seal therebetween.   
     
     
       27. A multiple glazed installation comprising: a building wall having an opening defined by a frame member;   an installed transparent pane having its peripheral edges retained in said frame member;   an added transparent pane overlying said installed pane within the outline of said frame member, in generally parallel, spaced relation to said installed pane;   an elongated, rigid spacer element, formed from essentially moisture vapor impervious material, disposed between opposing major surfaces of said panes, adjoining marginal portions of the opposed major surface of said added pane around the perimeter of said added pane so as to define an enclosed space between said panes, each longitudinal portion of said spacer having a first surface facing said added pane, a second surface facing said installed pane, and a third surface substantially perpendicular to said first and second surfaces on the exterior of said enclosed space;   a ribbon of essentially moisture vapor impervious material extending around the perimeter of the added pane, sealed to said third surface of said spacer assembly and to edge surface portions of said added pane; and   a layer of sealant interposed between said installed pane and said second surface of said spacer element, forming a resilient structural bond and a hermetic seal therebetween.   
     
     
       28. A method of increasing the insulating value of a vision opening in a building wall structure glazed with an installed transparent pane, comprising the steps of: providing at an installation site a subassembly which includes an additional transparent pane and a spacer element affixed to marginal portions of one major surface of said additional pane, having a hermetically sealed barrier against moisture penetration through said spacer element and between said spacer and said pane;   aligning said subassembly in a generally parallel relationship to a major surface of the installed pane, with said spacer element disposed between said panes, and with a band of an at least partially uncured sealant disposed between said spacer element and said installed pane, said sealant being comprised of a polymeric composition having a moisture vapor transmittance of less than about 15 grams of water per 24 hours per square meter for 1 mil thickness and being coherent and tacky but flowable under pressure at room temperature; and   biasing said subassembly onto said major surface of the installed pane and applying a compressive force on said sealant band therebetween until the sealant flows and forms a resilient structural bond and a hermetic seal between said spacer element and said major surface of said installed pane.   
     
     
       29. The method of claim 28 wherein said spacer element is sealed onto said additional pane at said installation site. 
     
     
       30. The method of claim 29 wherein the sealing of said spacer element onto said additional pane includes the step of adhering a ribbon of essentially moisture vapor impervious material onto said spacer element and peripheral edge surface portions of said additional pane around the perimeter of said additional pane. 
     
     
       31. The method of claim 28 wherein said subassembly is provided at said installation site in prefabricated form. 
     
     
       32. A method of increasing the insulating value of a vision opening in a building wall structure glazed with an installed transparent pane, comprising the steps of: applying a spacer element onto marginal portions of a major surface of an additional transparent pane around the perimeter of said additional pane, and spacing said spacer element from peripheral edges of said addition pane;   adhering a body of sealant to said major surface of said additional pane between said spacer element and the peripheral edges of said additional pane, said body of sealant being applied with a thickness in the direction normal to said major surface greater than that of said spacer element, said sealant being comprised of an at least partially uncured polymeric composition having a moisture vapor transmittance of at least 15 grams of water per 24 hours per square meter for 1 mil thickness and which, at room temperaure, is coherent and tacky but flowable under pressure;   aligning said subassembly in a generally parallel relationship to a major surface of the installed pane, with said spacer element and said sealant disposed between said panes; and   biasing the additional pane toward the installed pane to contact said major surface of the installed pane with said body of sealant and applying a compressive force on said body of sealant until the sealant flows and forms a resilient structural bond and a hermetic seal between said panes.